School inputs in Scottish Borders tackle online safety
A schools link officer in the Scottish Borders is working with primary seven children to help them stay secure online and keep themselves safe during the upcoming holidays.
Constable Luke Cameron is based in Eyemouth and works with around 2,000 school children in Berwickshire cluster schools.
Recently he has been providing inputs on online safety and communications as teachers and parents expressed concerns about the rise in chat room bullying, sextortion and male toxicity.
Constable Cameron said: “I support schools as much as I can in a policing capacity which includes incidents that arise at a school. This might be property theft, bullying, fighting and also more serious issues like hate crime, sextortion, and child protection.
“But the biggest part of my job involves education and engagement. Online safety is one of the most common inputs that schools request and it has already been delivered to most primary sevens this year in the area I cover.
“Online bullying and exploitation is getting worse. We over protect young people in the real world and we under protect them online. There are incidents of kids being contacted by strangers and not seeing that as a problem. My job is to build their awareness of the dangers and let them know they can talk to their teachers, their parents and me.
“When it comes to toxic masculinity I can hopefully be a good role model for boys and combat the negative messages seen online with positive ones. I say – just be kind and I try to demonstrate that with small things, like holding open the door, just little things can make a difference.”
Educational inputs follow the curriculum and as well as online safety they cover well-being, anti-social behaviour, risks of violence, drugs awareness and road safety. Constable Cameron also talks to assemblies and works with year groups on the role of the police for modern studies and criminology classes.
His role changes with the school term times. “School holidays are coming up and it is a really good chance for myself and community policing colleagues to get out and about on foot, bikes and cars. I see young people, stop and chat with them and let them know that I am a police officer as well as being PC Cameron from the school.
“When it comes to anti-social behaviour it is about explaining the very clear consequences for young people, their families, people they care about and their communities and encourage them to make the right choices. Because they know me that connection helps.
“It is a very rewarding job, especially when you can help young people divert away from crime, from making bad choices.”
The work a schools link officer does is very much a partnership and one that is welcomed by teachers.
Eyemouth Primary 7 Teacher Vix Shannon said: “Sometimes children ask questions which are beyond our scope and PC Cameron can come in and deliver an input in an accessible way. It gives them a fuller and more comprehensive understanding and helps them to realise what the law is regarding issues like protection.
“With something like online safety you need to look at in in a way that is accessible and PC Cameron makes it understandable and fun but delivering serious messages that they need to know. PC Cameron comes to events at the school, he is another adult that children can talk to.”
